Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-06-30
SIMPLY WONDERFUL.
THE STRANGEsT SURGICAL OPERA
TON OF THE DAY.


TON OF THE DAY.
to Human Head-How a Wealthy Young
New Yorker, Bald as Billiard Ball, Was
Relieved of His Deformity-The Dog Dead,
But the Patient Alive and Healthy, with
Thick Growth of Raven Tresses.
Says New York special to The Cincin.
natl Enquirer: A young and wealthy
New Yorker, who has been rs bald as
billiard-ball, will soon go back into
society with head of curly hair which
was produced for him by transplanta-
ton from a dog. His case is one of
the most remarkable surgical opera
lions ever known in this city and per-
haps in the world. The young man is
the private patient of DR.. Kane. the
consulting surgeon of ST. Elizabeth
Hospital. He is the son of we'll
known dry goods merchant, and lives
in an elegant mansion on Fifth avenue.
The young man was a graduate from
Columbia College about two years ago
and was sent to the University at
Heidelberg to complete his education.
1t was there that he met with a pain
full acc.den' He had taken special
course in chemistry. and spent much of
his time in the laboratory in the capa.
city of teachers assistant. One even
ing. while alone, he was overcome by
the vapor of sulphuric acid. and before
he could get to the open air fell uncon-
scious. As he rolled over his head
entered an open fireplace, where there
was large log burning. and his hair
caught on fire. He was found shortly
aftcrward. His head was in frightful
condition. The flesh running from
the forehead to the shoulders in the
back of the neck was roasted. When
he was lifted from the floor portions of
THE SCALP FELL OFF.
Exposing the bone. His face was not
much injured, save for about an inch
on the forehead. He was taken to his
room, and there began the battle of his
life. 1t was feared that the brain had
been affected, as he remained in
comatoSc condition. There was
watery deposit in the lungs, but it
could not be determined whether this
was due to the inhaling of the vapor
of acid or the flame from the fire. The
lung symptoms became worse rapidly,
and all hope was given up Of saving his
life. The best physic, ans in Germany
were called to attend him, and every
thing was done that was known in
medical science Nearly all the ilc sh
sloughcd off from the skull, leaving Il
patch here and there, Ike an on sis in
the desert. The strongest things in the
Young mans favor were the exemplary
life he had led and the attention he had
given to the preservation of his health
and the development of his physical
system. These stood him in better
stead than the wisdom of his phys;-
clans, and when they hadgiven him up
nature stepped in, asserted her power
and brought the injured man back
from
TIE JAWS OF DEATH.
1t was long time before his lungs
healed. and much longer before the
horr BILE wound becam- well enough to
remove the skull-cap bandage that he
wore. When he recovered his strength
and came home, the terrible Il sligurc-
ment of the cicatricial tissue in the
scalp was hidden under a wig. The
wig would have been all right but for
the fact that it set up an annoying irri-
tat on. Ways of every sort were tried
20 overcome the difficulty, but when
the irritation developed into distress
ing Inflammation from VIII CHI dis
charging ulcer was formed the wigs
had to be abandoned. Several physi-
clans were consulted. and various things
were tried to give relief with little sue.
cess. When DR.. Kane's attention WAS
called to the case there was an ulcer.
dollar in the top of the back. head. He
suggested the performance of plastic
operations or the transplautat on Of
skin. The patient expressed his VII
ngness to undergo any thing, howev-
81 painful or inconvcnent, aud rs h,
was in a fair physical condition worl
was begun at once. This was severa
months ago. As prclim nary test.
SMALL SECTION OF SKIN
And flesh was cut from the patient
breast and placed in the center of thu
alteration in the scalp, which had beer
previously scraped until it bled profuse
ly. The skin took root in an astonish
ing short time. much to the gratiiica
ton of the patient and physic an. ant
from the outer border of the transplant
ed skin little shoots of healthy tissue
protruded into the neighboring fesl
and grew rapidly. Other pieces wer
were taken from the patients breas
and were put near the first piece, ant
all took fast hold without any slough
ing of tissue.
THIS was continued until the cntir
. liberated surface had healed and pre-
sented a healthful appearance. In tn
, new flesh which had been thus forme
there was an active growth of capillar
substance, showing that the hair cell
had not been destroyed. This led Dl
: Kane to suggest novel experiment
which. il successful. would not onl
: cover the head of the patient with fles
but also with a beautiful growth I
curly hair. 1t was nothing less tina
E to try and transplant the skin of do
to the patents head. 1t took son
r time for the pat ent to overcome IL
Q natural aversion to such an operation
but finally he gave his consent. espe'
: ally as his wealth and social positio